Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

August 27 was the feast day of St. Monica, who was the mother of St. Augustine. Monica is an inspiration to many parents and grandparents who lament the fact that their children have abandoned the faith. Monica never gave up on her son, Augustine, and the rest of her family – that they would return to Jesus and the Church she loved. Of course, the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say, is because of St. Monica’s intercession before God. There is a dramatic conversion of St. Augustine’s life, who then becomes one of the greatest intellectual influences in the history of the Church.

It takes tremendous confidence and courage to pursue one’s request before God in a world that seems to be pagan and rejects God’s influence. But, as it is said: “Man proposes, but God disposes.” For parents and grandparents, St. Monica offers support for all who experience hopelessness about their prayers for the conversion of their loved ones.

In the readings for August 27, St. Monica’s feast is taken from The Confessions of St. Augustine. Monica was with her sons at the Port of Ostia and dying. Her sons were worried how they would transport their mother home for burial. With great courage in the face of death, and with a certain confidence in God, she said to her sons, “Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be.”

This was not a woman facing death. She knew that life continues in God, and prayers are needed. Too often we forget that amid the canonizations that occur at funeral eulogies, they occur because of the love that the presenters have for the person. But, the Mass is there to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and prayers are offered on our behalf. We all stand before God in need of forgiveness. If Monica needed prayers after death, who among us does not?

I have been privileged to watch the courage of relatives and friends in the face of death. One elderly priest told me that he was excited to find out what God had in store for him in the next life, and he was ready. In another instance, the widowed father of a priest friend was visited in the hospital by his son the day before a serious heart surgery. Knowing the critical nature of next day’s operation, it obviously showed on the tense face of his son. As he ended his visit, he gave his father a blessing. His father, wanting to assure him of his confidence in God, said “Don’t worry, son. If I don’t make it, I’ll make sure I say hello to your mom for you.” The priest son took great comfort in those words, because the next day his dad did not make it through the operation.

I have said that we are believers. We know that we are in the hands of God who loves us. But, we have to be realistic. We need the support of prayers even in the next life. It gives me great solace to know that I can pray for those who have been good and loving to me in this life, and even pray for those who have not been very good. In prayers, we express our love for God and how we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
 

Note: This blog originally appeared as the August 29, 2017 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.